


Tempest

by Heather_Night



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Stiles, M/M, Public Humiliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-11 05:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5616001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heather_Night/pseuds/Heather_Night
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek thought he was ready to leave behind the trappings of his youth; he has an older girlfriend and his interest in video games and giggling had waned leaving him feeling mature.  So why does the reappearance of his childhood friend, Stiles, trigger such a tempest of feelings for him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tempest

**Author's Note:**

> Here lies another single h/c prompt for 2015 H/C Bingo. Beta by the incomparable Feather_touch. Remaining mistakes are mine, all mine.

_I'd like to be taken_  
_Apart from the inside_  
_Then spit through the cycle right to the end_

\- Tempest by Deftones

 

 

“Derek’s in lo-ve,” Cora sing-songed from across the sturdy oak kitchen table. If the table had been less wide, Derek would’ve been tempted to launch himself across it and bestow a noogie upon his sister. Of course at his advanced age of 20 to Cora’s young 16, that would’ve been immature.

“Derek and Kate, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g,” Cora began to chant. 

Their mother breezed into the dining room, smudging her lipstick against Derek’s stubbled cheek before dropping a kiss on Cora’s forehead. “Good morning. All ready for Stiles’s arrival?” Both siblings scrubbed at the bright red marks left behind by their mother’s signature scarlet lipstick before her words sunk in.

“Stiles is coming? Today?” His mother narrowed her eyes at Derek when his voice came out much higher than usual.

“Yes, Stiles is coming today. You two are usually as thick as thieves, how did this escape your attention?” Talia Hale was a civil lawyer and nothing got past her as she frowned, waiting for a response.

Laura breezed into the dining room. “So when do I head out to Beacon Hills to pick up my favorite Stiles?”

It was a bit of a family joke, although not necessarily a lie, that Stiles Stilinski was his oldest sister’s favorite family member. Well, honorary family member. She absolutely doted on him, which used to irritate Derek because Stiles was his friend first. At the moment he was grateful that his sister would take up some of the burden of entertaining their houseguest because Derek had his hands full at the moment with the very beautiful, very demanding, older woman in his life—Kate Argent.

The loud hum of an out of tune motor made itself known and their mom’s face split into a big grin. “No need to head out, Laura. If I’m not mistaken, that’s Stiles now.”

The three female Hales swarmed toward the front of the house. Derek rubbed at the center of his forehead, willing the tension headache to recede. He’d always enjoyed having Stiles around but the kid was loud and thrived on breaking up Derek’s careful routine.

There was no hope for it. Derek dragged himself to the front of the house and stepped outside, shading his eyes from the bright sunshine.

Stiles was exchanging hugs with his mom, punching Cora in the arm and then Laura was picking Stiles up in a fierce hug and twirling him around. “You got your driver’s license! You little sneak. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I, ah, wasn’t sure I was going to pass. And then Dad didn’t really want me to drive down by myself but I didn’t want to leave this beauty behind,” he said, affectionately patting the hood of the vehicle.

The beauty in question was a very old, beat-up, sky blue Jeep. Beauty was definitely in the eye of the beholder on this one.

Stiles stepped away from the Jeep, stretching his arms overhead, allowing his t-shirt to climb upward and expose bare skin. Despite the stupid buzz cut, Stiles was starting to look less like an alien with his too big eyes and overly long, uncontrollable limbs, and more like a sort of cute guy. Kid. Whatever.

“Derek, come say hi to Stiles.” His mother was looking at him intensely but didn’t say anything more.

Stiles’s attention turned to Derek and a blinding smile lit up his face. The kid loped over to him and looked like he was going to throw his arms around him but he pulled back, a frown marring his face, at the last moment when Derek stepped back a pace.

Laura was suddenly there, stepping into the awkward void, throwing an arm around Stiles’s shoulders and shepherding him inside.

Derek patted his pocket to make sure he had his keys and cellphone. He would’ve liked to brush his teeth before he left to meet Kate but he wasn’t going to go back inside if he could help it. 

He liked Stiles, he always had, but Stiles was a part of his childhood and Derek was an adult now. 

Once everyone was safely tucked inside Derek headed for the Camaro, making his escape.

-0-

Stiles bit into his lower lip, worrying the skin. “Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here? I mean I’m old enough to stay at home by myself.”

“Nonsense, Stiles. Of course you’re going to stay here. I need to go into the office but tonight we’ll grill out. In the meantime, just hang around with the kids and have a good time.” Mrs. Hale cupped his cheek before patting it lightly. “You’re taller than me now, Stiles. You look good.” Then she was gone in a swirl of Chanel No. 5, which he only recognized because Lydia Martin, a veritable goddess in his class, wore it.

Stiles looked at Cora and Laura. Cora scrunched her nose up, looking adorable. “I’m sorry, Stiles. I have to get to my summer school class but I’ll be done this afternoon. Maybe we can go get a burger and shake at that place you like.”

The youngest Hale tugged him into a quick hug and then she was gone.

Stiles turned to Laura who quirked an eyebrow at him. “Looks like it’s just you and me, kid. I think Derek left already.”

Swallowing down his disappointment, Stiles smiled at Laura. “You want me to take you for a drive?”

Laura’s cellphone sang out, “Ima make a deal with the bad wolf so the bad wolf don’t bite no more.” Stiles recognized it as Awolnation’s Hollow Moon, which seemed fitting seeing as Laura was working on her Masters in Folklore Studies.

Holding up her finger to indicate she’d just be a minute, Laura turned her back and took the call. Stiles wandered into the living room and looked at the pictures on the mantle. His favorite, the one with Derek shyly smiling into the camera with his too large teeth peeking out of his mouth awkwardly, was turned away so it wasn’t visible; Stiles turned it back around, gazing at it fondly. The fact that someone who looked like Derek now had once been so geeky looking as a teen gave Stiles hope that he himself wouldn’t always be so unattractive.

“I’m so sorry, Stiles. There’s an emergency at work and I need to go in and get it straightened out. Do you mind kicking around the place for a while by yourself? I mean you could come with me but I think you’d be bored out of your gourd.”

Stiles wouldn’t have minded going in with Laura, he was kind of lonely, but she didn’t really seem enthusiastic about the idea. “No, that’s okay. I’ll see you later.”

Laura brushed a kiss against his cheek and then she was scooping up her purse and heading for the door, trading her casual sandals for clogs, which flapped loudly against the tile floor. “Help yourself to the fridge. I put fresh sheets and towels in your room. Bye!” 

Stiles trudged into the kitchen for lack of anything else to do. He pulled open the fridge and surveyed the contents. Ketchup. Mustard. Mayo. Salad Dressing. Limp salad. Something that resembled a science experiment in a Tupperware container shoved into the back. He’d forgotten the Hale Family’s propensity for eating out so much. It’s a wonder they didn’t starve.

Stepping outside, Stiles grabbed his bag and pillow out of his Jeep. On the way upstairs he detoured into the kitchen to grab a glass. It’s a good thing he liked the tap water since that was about the only thing edible in the house. 

He might as well set up his laptop, maybe see if anyone was online. With a little luck Cora would be back in a while and they could go to Jumping Jacks for lunch.

-0-

The house was dark when Derek got home at 10 p.m. He’d expected to be met at the door by an angry mother or sister for skipping out on dinner but no one seemed to be home. Weird.

Derek made his way upstairs, pausing outside of Stiles’s room when he heard the soft sounds of a video game as well as voices. He bet Laura and Cora were entertaining Stiles. He went to knock on the door but stopped when he heard the sheriff’s voice and he sounded irritated.

“Would you turn down the damn volume? I can barely hear you over that noise. We’ve been over this, son. Boys who get kicked out of school and restraining orders taken out against them don’t get to stay at home unsupervised. The Hales are very busy people and they’re doing me a favor by letting you stay there. Now I expect you to stay out of their way and be the perfect houseguest. Because if I have to come down there, so help me God—”

“I promise I won’t get into trouble, Dad. I’ve got to go now. Have fun at the convention.”

“Stiles, wait, I—”

“Goodnight, Dad.” 

Shit. Derek hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. He’d never heard Stiles’s dad talk to him that way. To be honest, if Derek’s mom talked to him with that tone he’d be crushed. Stiles hadn’t sounded crushed exactly but he certainly sounded subdued.

Derek knocked on the door before he could overthink things.

“Come in.”

Derek stuck his head in the door. “Hey, everything okay?”

“Sure.”

Stiles was sitting on the bed, cross-legged, his laptop balanced on his knees. The room was dark save for the light the screen was giving off but it was too dim to make out Stiles’s expression.

“Did you do anything fun today?” Derek was hoping after the shitty conversation he’d overheard, the rest of Stiles’s day had gone okay. He was a good kid. Derek even enjoyed his company. Unless Kate was around.

“Fun. Yep.” The tone was polite but expressionless. 

“Sorry I wasn’t around today.” He nodded toward Stiles’s computer when his words weren’t acknowledged, “Do you maybe want to play some video games?” If it was one thing Stiles enjoyed, it was playing video games. He’d play them 24-7 if he was allowed. It was also Derek and Stiles’s thing.

“I think I’ll go ahead and turn in.”

Derek gulped. The smile on his face felt frozen. “Oh. Okay. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Derek.”

Derek backed out of the room, closing the door gently. That was the strangest conversation he’d ever had with Stiles. Maybe a pod person had replaced the kid. It was the best explanation he had.

“Derek?” Derek turned to find Laura coming down the hallway. “What did you guys do for dinner? I’m sorry I didn’t make it home.”

Stiles’s subdued personality was suddenly making more sense. “Let’s go downstairs. Stiles said he was going to turn in now.”

Laura looked at him like he’d grown two heads—Stiles was never asleep before 2 a.m. when he was staying at the Hales unless he was injured or sick—but she turned back around and went downstairs.

Derek followed her, not looking forward to the conversation ahead.

They ended up in the kitchen, Laura poking morosely at the contents of the fridge. “So what did you guys do this evening? Mom said she got stuck at the office, she should be back here in a half an hour or so, and Cora got called into work after class. Boy was she pissed.”

“Yeah, about that…I wasn’t here, Laur. I just go home. If none us were here, what did Stiles do for dinner? It’s not like there’s anything to eat around here.” His voice trailed off as Laura looked around the kitchen, her face crinkled up in concern.

“There is nothing in this house to eat, Derek. Oh my God. We left him here, all by himself. Alone! With nothing to eat! Damn it, Derek. This is bad.” Laura looked like she wanted to punch something. Derek shifted back out of her reach. He’d been on the receiving end of her punches before and he’d like to avoid it when possible.

“That’s not all. When I got home he was talking to his dad, on speakerphone. Laur, the sheriff said Stiles had been kicked out of school and something about a restraining order. I’d never heard him talk to Stiles like that before. He was pretty cold.” Derek felt a little spiral of hurt that none of this seemed like news to Laura. 

Rubbing the back of her neck, Laura grimaced. “Yeah, I don’t really know the details—I was hoping Stiles would confide in me—but I really blew it. I mean what kind of host leaves her guest all alone on their first day?”

A shitty host. And the Hales had all managed to fail at hosting. Ugh.

Derek had a brainstorm. “Stiles didn’t want anything to do with me but he’ll listen to you. You go get him and I’ll tell Mom and Cora to meet us at Jumping Jacks. He loves that place.”

Laura disappeared up the stairs before Derek could even pull out his phone. He quickly texted: Late dinner at Jumping Jacks with Stiles? Cora’s response was instantaneous—hell yeah. His mother’s reply didn’t lag far behind—yes please. 

Derek smiled as he heard Laura herding Stiles down the stairs. “Jesus, Stiles. You’re a growing boy and you need to eat.”

“But I’m not hungry. Ouch! Quit pinching me. All right already. I’ll go to dinner with you.” It was nice to see Laura turning her terror tactics on someone else.

Stiles looked pale and tired and he wasn’t sure if Laura’s hand was clamped around his biceps to keep him from running or keep him upright. The kid actually stumbled but it was the last step and Derek was there, steadying him as he wobbled, before tipping him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Oomph. What is it with you Hales? I can walk myself.”

Snorting, Derek swatted Stiles’s ass. An unexpectedly muscular ass. The skinny kid was filling out…in all the right places. “You look like a baby giraffe testing out your spindly legs for the first time. Now relax and enjoy the ride.”

Derek easily manhandled Stiles outside and into the back of the Camaro with Laura’s help. He and Laura were both giggling and Stiles kept biting his lip, trying to stifle a laugh.

Spending time with Stiles no longer seemed like a burden.

-0-

Stiles wasn’t particularly happy that Laura and Derek had bullied him out of the house. His stomach ached and he was nauseous but they were dragging him into Jumping Jacks nevertheless.

His favorite waitress, the one with the beehive, was nowhere to be found but a pretty brunette shooed them into a booth in the nearly empty restaurant. She fluttered her eyelashes at Derek and it was just about enough to make him vomit.

“What about you, honey. What would you like?” Stiles was zoning out and didn’t realize the waitress was talking to him until Laura kicked him in the shin.

“Ouch! Knock it off, Laura, or I’ll report you to Social Services.” Stiles was sick of being ignored and then pushed around. 

Laura thought he was joking and ignored his threat. “Just order already. While the night is still young.” She began to giggle, her eyes even watering, smudging her mascara.

Stiles rubbed the apex of his stomach. “Could I just have some ice water please?”

That halted Laura’s mirth. “Ice water?”

Derek chimed in, “No, that’s not right. You always get that disgusting shake and double cheeseburger and curly fries. That’s what he’ll have.” Huh. Stiles didn’t know Derek ever paid attention to what he ate.

The waitress scribbled on her pad and then excused herself, heading back to the kitchen.

The silence was noticeable and Stiles finally looked up to find both Hales staring at him. “What?”

“Since when do you pass up food?” Laura demanded.

“Um, when I’m stressed out.” Stiles retorted sharply and then could’ve kicked himself; he hadn’t meant to share that particular fact. He should’ve taken an extra dose of Adderall today because his brain to mouth filter was faltering. Badly.

“Oh, Stiles—” Laura was cut off as someone plunked an extra-large plastic drink cup in front of Stiles.

Betty, the queen bee with the beehive hair to prove it, beamed down at Stiles. “I heard someone ordered a disgusting shake and curly fries and I knew it had to be you. How’s my sunshine?”

For one embarrassing moment, Stiles thought Betty was going to pull him against her considerable bosom but she settled for clasping his shoulder.

“Thanks, Betty. I’ve missed you.” Stiles smiled shyly at her.

She snorted indelicately. “More like you missed my food. Don’t they feed you back home? You’re even skinnier than last summer.”

Stiles could feel his face heat up; he couldn’t keep weight on no matter how much he ate and he was self-conscious about it. 

Derek was actually the one who saved him. “I think that last growth spurt really stretched him out but now that he’s down here with us, we’ll get him back on that diet of high carbs, high fat and high cholesterol you serve.”

Betty threw her head back and laughed. “You Hales all have a way with words.” She turned her attention back to Stiles. “Welcome back, honey.” She left the table and returned to the kitchen.

Stiles fidgeted, uneasy with the silence, and tore open his straw so that he’d have something to do. He tied a knot in the plastic and then undid it, listening to Derek and Laura chat about Cora’s job with half an ear.

“It’s not origami, Stiles. Quit playing with the straw already and have some of the shake!” Stiles paused in his straw manipulations at Derek’s outburst and the older boy took advantage of it to pluck the bent plastic out of his hands and shove it in the shake.

Feeling chastised, Stiles took a pull on the straw but found it was too thick, his cheeks hollowing out as he strongly sucked in vain. 

Derek made a cross between a gasp and a squeak, fidgeting in place, drawing Stiles’s attention. “What?”

A deep pink tinged the older boy’s cheekbones and he refused to make eye contact. Weird.

Laura cleared her throat. “So Stiles, what do you want to do tomorrow?”

Stiles shoved his shake away, his appetite taking a nosedive. He knew the Hales were busy and his dad had told him to stay out of their hair, or words to that effect. “I’ll just hang around the house, probably play some video games.”

The older girl was shaking her head. “No way, you are not going to just sit around the house. I’ve got the day off. For real this time. Let’s do something.”

Derek joined in making it a double-barreled assault. “Yeah, I don’t have plans tomorrow. What should we do?”

“No, really. You don’t have to entertain me.” 

“Fine, you don’t want to pick what we do? I will. I say we spend the whole day at the beach.” Laura was never shy about expressing her preferences.

Derek shot that idea down. “I don’t want to spend the evening in the ER with fair-skinned lobster boy here, no offense Stiles. Maybe we could each pick something and we’ll trade off—maybe basketball in the morning, hit the beach in the afternoon and then what, Stiles, go to the movies in the evening?”

Stiles opened his mouth to shoot down the idea but he had to admit, at least to himself, it all sounded amazing. He and Scott hung out when they could but Scott had a job and a girlfriend, which left Stiles with a lot of free time on his hands. He could go days without actually seeing his dad, only trading notes on the fridge with him, when things got busy at the station. “If you’re sure you’ve got the time to spare, I’d like that.”

Laura smiled but it was a little strained and Stiles was going to backtrack but then Cora was sliding into the booth next to Laura and Laura was telling her about the amazing day they had planned.

By the time Mrs. Hale had arrived, Stiles was eating the caramel corn out of his shake and his stomach didn’t feel as sick. Maybe he’d be able to handle the burger and curly fries after all. 

-0-

Derek was lethargically bouncing the basketball against the asphalt, waiting for everyone else to join him.

The basketball was grabbed in mid-bounce and Derek turned to find Laura spinning it on her index finger. All of the Hales were graceful and athletic but Derek considered basketball his sport. Game on.

Laura shoved the basketball into Derek’s mid-section and he oomphed when it made contact. “Nice save with dinner last night, baby bro. Stiles was a lot better afterward.”

Derek had noticed that, too. Stiles was definitely more relaxed and even though he hadn’t cleaned his plate like usual, he’d eaten enough to get everyone off of his back. “Today should be even better. All of us hanging out again, just like old times.”

“Are you two plotting world domination out here?” Stiles made a grab for the basketball but Derek held it just out of reach. He finally relented, letting Stiles wrestle it away. The younger boy spun the basketball on his index finger, much like Laura had, only Stiles had large hands with long fingers that drew Derek’s attention like a magnet.

Derek remembered the way Stiles had played with his straw last night, nimble fingers manipulating the plastic. And the way Stiles sucked on that shake with those pouty lips…Stiles was doing things that were making quite an impression on Derek.

“Nah, we were just placing bets on how long you and Cora would take to get out here. You took so long we thought you were you doing each other’s hair and make-up,” Laura snarked.

Stiles popped his hip out to the side and settled his hand on it, fluttering his eyelashes ridiculously. “You know it.”

Laura gave Stiles a shove, sending him reeling. “Keep it up and I’m going to think you’re working a street corner. Or working on a drag routine.” Laura and Stiles both cracked up.

Cora walked up then. “What’s so funny?”

“Stiles was talking about his drag routine,” Laura answered with a straight face.

“You guys are so weird. Now what are the teams?” Cora took her sports very seriously.

Laura threw an arm around Stiles. “I’ve got this one. You two are going down.”

Derek had wanted Stiles on his team, boys against girls. That configuration would have kept both Cora’s and Derek’s competitive levels more manageable but Laura seemed determined to keep Stiles at her side. Stiles, who had neither the grace nor natural athleticism of the Hales, at least made up for it with enthusiasm and joy of playing.

After an awkward tipoff—it was hard to have a jump ball when all of the players were vying for the ball and there was no referee—Stiles stole the ball from Cora and backed into Derek. Derek had expected to be bludgeoned with a bony hip but the plump, muscular butt making contact with his body pleasantly surprised him again. A butt that was nudging and rubbing and nestling against his front. If Derek didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought the younger boy was trying to purposely take Derek off his game with his lanky limbs, and graceful hands and sweet bubble butt.

He was so distracted by the physical contact the younger boy was able to accelerate by him, making a lay-up. Cora socked him in the arm as she ran by to grab the ball and throw it into play. “What the hell, Derek. Get your head out of your ass.”

It wasn’t his ass that was causing the distraction.

Things got heated as both teams approached the coveted 21-point mark. Derek and Stiles tussled over the basketball, which resulted in Stiles tripping over his feet and staggering in an effort to catch his balance before losing to gravity. Before the younger boy could make contact with the hard surface, Derek grabbed him around the waist and twirled him about, losing his own balance. They tottered before falling to the grass next to the asphalt, Derek taking the brunt of the fall as most of Stiles’s weight landed on top of him. He took an elbow to the solar plexus, which stole his breath for a moment. By the time he recovered he realized Stiles was resting heavily against him, the younger boy’s back splayed across Derek’s front.

“Stiles? You okay?”

Derek could hear Laura and Cora in the background, trash-talking each other but he wasn’t paying attention to them, too busy concentrating on the motionless body atop him. 

Was Stiles even breathing? Derek shifted the younger boy to the side carefully, cradling his head. “Stiles, quit fucking around and answer me.” The last thing Derek wanted was another trip to the ER room.

Leaning forward, Derek peered into Stiles’s face. Adrenaline was flooding his system as he thought about CPR and recovery positions and why Stiles wasn’t moving and then Stiles’s eyes fluttered open. A shy smile curved the boy’s full lips as he inhaled deeply, wheezing. “Sorry, knocked the breath right out of me.” 

Without thinking it through, Derek moved closer, brushing his lips against Stiles’s. The boy blinked his thick eyelashes, gazing up at Derek with those soulful eyes. How had Derek gone all these years without ever noticing the beautiful shade of brown?

“What the hell was that, ballet?” Laura asked as she hustled over, looming over them.

Cora snorted loudly. “More like mouth-to-mouth. Gross.”

Derek climbed to his feet, tugging Stiles up with him, letting the younger boy lean against him for support. He whispered in Stiles’s ear, “More like a baby giraffe learning to walk for the first time.”

Stiles threw Derek a bashful look from beneath his eyelashes. This kid had some serious game and it wasn’t basketball. 

-0-

The unhappiness he’d encountered on the first day of his visit with the Hales was something Stiles only occasionally remembered, usually in the early morning hours when he was unable to sleep.

The screen froze before Pinky could touch Pac-Man when Stiles paused the game. He was having a hard time focusing and realized he needed to take his Adderall. 

Stiles had a lot on his mind. The relationship with his dad was still strained and he didn’t think that would ease until he was back in Beacon Hills. Mrs. Hale studied him when she thought he wasn’t paying attention and it was beginning to grate; part of him wanted her to just spit it out, whatever it was, but a part of him was afraid of what she would say. Laura was acting like some demented cruise director, bent on giving him only the best experiences. Cora smirked at him a lot but it was hard for Stiles to tell if she was just doling out her usual irritating facial expressions or if it had special meaning.

And then there was Derek. Derek, who wrestled around with him on the basketball court, in the water and even while playing Halo, which last time Stiles checked wasn’t a contact sport. 

Then there was the kiss. It had been a soft brush of the lips but it had been Stiles’s first and it had surged through him like an electrical charge. Stiles was a firm 5 on the Kinsey Scale: Predominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual. He had Lydia to thank for the incidentally heterosexual bit because she was a strawberry blond goddess. Before this visit he would’ve pegged Derek at a 0—exclusively heterosexual—or in Stiles’s wildest dreams, a 1—predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual because there was always hope.

The thought of Derek reciprocating his feelings, or at least being attracted to him, made Stiles very happy but it also made him anxious. Things never went according to plan and in most cases, they went to shit in Stiles’s world.

“Earth to Stiles,” someone whispered in his ear. Stiles startled badly, the controller flying out of his hand, fortunately landing on the bed.

Derek. The object of his affections, and his thoughts, was sitting next to him on the bed, staring intently, his brow crinkled adorably. 

With his hand clutched over his heart and mouth gaping open, Stiles managed a quiet, “Hey, Derek,” while feeling his skin display his embarrassment in a tide of pink and red washing over his face.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked earnestly. 

Stiles nodded his head in the affirmative, keeping his eyes downcast as he felt a rush of moisture. His emotions were bouncing all over the place and there didn’t seem to be anything he could do about it.

Warm, muscled arms folded around him, pulling him into a hug. It was just what he’d needed.

Derek drew back, staring down at Stiles; in another year or two they’d probably be the same height but for now the older boy still had the height advantage. “I need to run some errands this morning. How about I text you later and we’ll meet up for lunch?” Derek didn’t even have to say the name of the restaurant, it was just a given that they’d be visiting Jumping Jacks.

-0-

Derek certainly wasn’t looking forward to it but he needed to talk to Kate. It wasn’t fair to her to let her go on thinking that everything was great between them. He didn’t know exactly what he felt for Stiles but he definitely had strong feelings and he felt like he needed to explore them.

He was leaning against the Camaro, waiting for Kate to finish changing, when his phone swooshed, letting him know he had a text. Sliding his phone out of his back pocket, he thumbed the screen open and read the message from Laura: A cartoon baby giraffe with big brown eyes, listing to the side, about to fall over. Behind him the baby blue Jeep sat, headlights turned into eyes completed with long eyelashes. The caption of the drawing read ‘Stiles takes his first steps.”

Laura was a very talented artist and she’d really captured the tilt of Stile’s eyes, and their amazing shade, as well as his cute little upturned nose. The giraffe face was dotted with beauty marks, the neck long and elegant, four gangly limbs splayed out haphazardly. Freaking adorable. Just like Stiles.

“Whatcha looking at?” Kate cuddled into his side, peering over his arm, staring at the drawing on his phone. “What’s that supposed to be?”

“Oh, Laura did this. Remember the houseguest I mentioned? This is her version of Stiles.” 

Kate took the phone right out of his hand and studied it closely. “But why a giraffe? And what’s with the blue Jeep?”

“Stiles is a bit uncoordinated with those long limbs of his so for some reason we started referring to him as a baby giraffe.” Derek was trying to remain matter of fact about things but he was so fond of Stiles that he knew his tone betrayed him. 

Kate narrowed her eyes. “And the Jeep?”

Derek wanted to get Kate off of the subject of Stiles but she’d only be more curious if he didn’t answer some of her basic questions. “That was his mother’s; she died when Stiles was just a kid. He just got his license so he’s proud to have his own wheels.”

“O-kay,” Kate drew the syllable out to show how pointless and boring she found the conversation. “Where are we going today, handsome?”

It was time Derek found his courage to talk to Kate. “Well actually, Kate, I wanted to talk to you. I kind of think we need to take a break from seeing each other.”

Her mouth sagged open before she snapped it shut. “Are you seriously breaking up with me, Derek?”

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you, and spending time with you, but I just don’t think I’m ready for anything more right now.” At least not with Kate. He didn’t need to rub her face in that though.

“Who is she? What’s her name? I think I deserve to know.” Her pink lips were drawn into a straight line and for the first time since he met her, Derek didn’t find her attractive.

“There is no she,” Derek insisted. He didn’t want to get into specifics but Kate’s nostrils were flaring and she was on the hunt for information. 

“Fine. I’ll give you twenty-four hours to come to your senses and then if you come back and grovel, maybe I’ll give you another chance.”

She threw her long hair over her shoulder and flounced into the house. It wasn’t until Derek was getting into his car that he remembered Kate still had his phone clutched in her hand. 

He’d have to arrange to get it later; there was no way he was going to approach her now.

 

-0-

Stiles sipped the last of his coffee, contemplating his day. Derek was out running errands, Laura ran in to work for a while and Cora was at class. The four of them were supposed to meet up that afternoon for miniature golf but Stiles was free to do whatever he felt like until he and Derek went to lunch. 

Mrs. Hale settled on a chair directly across from Stiles at the dining room table. Stiles thought she’d cleared off to work a long time ago and was surprised to see her. “Good morning, Mrs. Hale.”

“Good morning, Stiles. Do you mind if I keep you company for a while? I haven’t had a chance to talk to you one-on-one since you arrived.

Stiles murmured his assent, realizing she was right. Since he arrived three days ago, it had been non-stop activities with Laura, Derek and Cora. At least once he’d gotten through that miserable first day spent alone.

“So Stiles, you dad tells me you got into a bit of trouble last month.”

Stiles cringed, staring down at his coffee cup. He’d known this day would come and he felt a bit like he’d been called to testify in some legal proceedings. Too bad he couldn’t plead the fifth. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Why don’t you tell me your side of the story?”

Stiles knew better than to trust the cajoling tone but he might as well get this over with so he could forget about it and move on. “There’s this guy at school. He’s actually a jerk and I don’t even like him but I noticed that he was kind of being…stalked. By another guy. Only he wouldn’t believe me.” Actually, no one believed him. Not even his own father.

“So why did you lock this young man in a prisoner transport van? I’m a little murky about that part.” Yeah, Mrs. Hale was smooth. 

It didn’t help that Stiles was a little murky about that, too. Stiles thought Jackson was in trouble and he’d tried to get him out of the way. Colossal bad judgment on his part. Again. “I thought this creeper was going to hurt jerkface so I pushed him into the van. I didn’t mean to lock him in. Of course everything got blown out of proportion because jerkface said I was trying to hurt him and his dad’s a lawyer so then there was a restraining order…” Stiles wished he had more coffee in his mug. At least that would give him something to do other than fidget in place, trying to avoid making eye contact.

“Stiles, look at me.”

Oh, he knew that tone of voice. Ticked off parent. They’d moved from the testimony part of the proceedings into the Inquisition. 

Stiles raised his chin and stared at Mrs. Hale. She didn’t say anything; she just stared back. It was like a staring contest only no one had told him the rules and he didn’t know if he was supposed to look away as a sign of respect or if he was supposed to maintain eye contact.

Mrs. Hale curled her lips into a slight smile. She really resembled Derek. Or was that the other way around? Focus. Her smile widened. “That sounds about right. Maybe next time you’ll figure out a less invasive approach if you suspect someone has a problem.”

Less invasive approach. Stiles snorted. He liked that. He’d have to tell Derek about it later.

The woman across the table from him cleared her throat. “So has Derek been treating you well this visit?”

The mug he’d been dangling dropped from his suddenly nerveless fingers, banging loudly as it connected with the table. Why was Mrs. Hale singling out Derek? Did she know Stiles had a crush on Derek? Maybe Derek liked him back? I mean they’d kissed! And hugged! 

He could feel a blush making its way over his face…ears…back of the neck. Having pale skin was a curse. “Everyone’s been super nice to me, Mrs. Hale. Thanks again for letting me stay with you.”

“Oh, Stiles. You’re family. You’re always welcome here.”

Her words warmed Stiles’s insides. It was wonderful to hear. He only hoped a certain other Hale felt the same way.

Stiles’s phone chirped with an incoming text. “Go ahead, dear. I’m going to head out now. I’ll see you later.” Mrs. Hale squeezed his shoulder as she went by.

It was a text from Derek. “Meet me at Jumping Jacks in 15 minutes.”

It was a little more straight to the point than most of Derek’s texts of late but maybe the big guy was hungry.

Detouring to the bathroom so he could brush the coffee taste out of his mouth, Stiles then headed out. It usually took 10 minutes to get to the restaurant and Stiles hated being late.

Traffic was almost nonexistent going in that direction and it took Stiles less than the usual travel time before he entered the bustling restaurant and made his way to the counter. According to the text, Derek was supposed to meet him here but he didn’t see any sign of his friend.

Ugh. He did see Jackson. Why, oh why, did Jackson have to come to the one place Stiles went to in the summer for a reprieve? Stiles admitted to himself he wasn’t always nice to the model-handsome boy but it had nothing to do with being jealous of Jackson and everything to do with Jackson being a douche.

“Hey, Stiles, do you want the usual?” Betty, dark dyed hair done up in a beehive, sidled up to the counter.

Stiles wasn’t particularly anxious about going into places by himself, he pretty much did the majority of things on his own due to his dad’s busy schedule, but for some reason the place was giving him a bad vibe today so he decided to cut down on his usual order. He’d rather order nothing until Derek arrived but that was just rude. “Um, could I please just have my usual shake?”

Betty had already plucked her pen from where it nested in her hairdo and was poised to write on her ticket pad when she heard Stiles’s order. “Are you feeling okay, honey? You don’t even want an order of curly fries?”

Someone slid into the chair next to his but even without looking, Stiles could tell it wasn’t Derek because Betty gave the person a tight smile instead of her wide open, teeth flashing, beaming grin.

Ignoring the presence at his side, Stiles tried to smile at Betty but he knew it wasn’t confidence inspiring when she narrowed her eyes at him. “No thanks, I’m good, just waiting for Derek.”

Scribbling down his order, Betty tucked her pen back into the nest of hair piled high on her head, and nodded. “Okay, one caramel corn shake coming right up.”

Betty didn’t even look at the person next to Stiles as she headed toward the kitchen, didn’t ask if she could get them anything, which was odd. He hoped it wasn’t Jackson although that would certainly explain the bad vibes.

Swiveling to the side he found himself face to face with a pretty girl. No, not a girl, a woman. She had long honey blond hair that loosely waved around her heart shaped face, light brown eyes, which should’ve been warm but somehow missed the mark, and a flat smile that didn’t reach her cold eyes. The tips of her shiny hair bounced against her perky breasts, which were practically hanging out of a light pink strappy top that left her tan shoulders bare. The color of her top matched her lips and her talons, er fingernails.

What was the saying? A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Stiles didn’t trust the predatory gleam in her eyes and he nervously looked over his shoulder, knocking his knobby knees on the back of the counter loudly, willing Derek to appear.

It wasn’t to be. “So you’re Stiles. Derek said you’re a baby giraffe but I don’t really see it. Sure, you’ve got the long limbs and neck, but you’re not nearly cute enough.”

Stiles stared straight ahead. Maybe if he ignored her, she would go away. Although what really bothered him wasn’t that he was getting picked on—he’d had years of experience with that thanks to Jackson and his at school ilk after all—what really bothered him was that Derek had talked to this person about Stiles. Shared what he thought was a private nickname. 

Chest tightening ominously, Stiles broke out in a cold sweat.

Stiles pushed against the counter and staggered to his feet. He had to get out of here. The woman rose to her feet, her hand wrapping around his left wrist, those pink talons digging into his skin.

“I’m not done with you yet, you mole splotched freak.” Yep, this chick was definitely a bitch and she knew where to hit the hardest for maximum damage. Stiles had always been sensitive about all of the moles he had. His mom had told him they were beauty marks and he should wear them proudly but when Jackson had announced in first grade that the moles were poop seeping out of his skin, the notion of being proud of them had lost their luster.

“The Hales don’t want to spend time with you, they just feel sorry for you. Poor little Stiles whose mommy died.” The woman’s voice was raised and the usual hum of happy voices in the restaurant had gone silent. 

Stiles pulled his wrist away, ignoring the skin scraped away by sharp nails, and launched himself down the aisle, bound for the door. 

The woman might be bat-shit crazy but hadn’t Stiles had the same thoughts? She, whoever she was, was just giving voice to them. Tears blurred his vision but Stiles didn’t take the time to dash them away.

“That’s right, run away you baby. Take that piece of shit eyesore of a car and go back home. I don’t care of it was your dead mother’s, Derek doesn’t want to look at it anymore.”

An outraged shriek sounded from behind him but Stiles didn’t stop to investigate. He hit the door at a full run. 

Stiles sprinted to his car, devastated to see someone had spray-painted Go Home Baby across the hood.

Jamming the key into the ignition, Stiles cranked the engine ruthlessly. He wasn’t in any condition to drive but he needed to get out of there.

He also needed answers.

-0-

Derek scrubbed his hands through his hair before leaning forward, his forearms perched on his knees. “I don’t know what to do, Laura. I think he’s too young for me.”

Laura leaned against the chimney mantle, arms crossed against her chest, looking unimpressed. “First you need to tell both of them the truth. It’s not fair to either one of them.”

“Kate knows,” Derek admitted, frowning heavily. “At least she knows I don’t want to see her exclusively. She’s not happy about it.”

Kate had been livid when Derek had suggested taking a break. He still felt guilty about hurting her feelings.

“What about Stiles?” Laura’s body language was still locked up tight but her voice had softened.

Derek sprang to his feet. “I don’t know! I mean I’m attracted to him but other than one kiss, we haven’t done anything or even talked about it.”

He began to pace, from one side of the living room to the other. The space was big enough that he didn’t have to dodge any obstacles but it wasn’t helping the pressure building in the top of his head.

“Well what do you like about him? I mean why are you into him?” Laura was trying to be logical and make him think instead of just react. He appreciated it to some degree but he really wished she’d just tell him what to do. Isn’t that what bossy older sisters did?

“We have a lot in common and we like the same things. He’s outrageous and funny and a smartass and he can be an asshole but he’s got a good heart. And he’s cute. He doesn’t know it though. He drives me crazy with his long legs and big hands and pretty eyes and cute upturned nose.”

Laura crinkled her nose but she nodded. “Fine, we’ll call those the pros. Now give me the cons. Tell me what you don’t like or why it won’t work.”

Derek stopped his pacing. His weight sank back down into the chair and he cradled his head in his hands. “He’s young. He’s a klutz and he’s too loud and he never shuts up. I mean never. He even talks in his sleep. And I hate his stupid buzz cut. And I hate that he came here this summer and ruined everything with Kate—“

Laura pushed to her feet without warning, startling him. “Stiles! Wait!” Laura dashed by the chair, shoving Derek harshly back into it as he tried to stand up. 

“What?”

He heard a car door slam and then the telltale sound of the Jeep starting up. How had Stiles parked in the driveway without them hearing him? The little shit had probably silently coasted, gear in neutral, the new skill Laura had helped him master recently.

The little shit who had probably overheard his rant. “Shit! Stiles!”

Derek cleared the front doorway in time to see Stiles gunning down the long driveway in reverse. He couldn’t see Stiles but he could see the Jeep and he made out black paint smeared across the light blue of the hood with the message Go Home Baby.

Laura was sprinting down the driveway but she couldn’t catch the Jeep. “Damn it, Stiles. Just wait! It’s not what you think!”

With a peel of tires, Stiles turned into the road and was gone. Laura perched her fists on her hips, back to Derek, before admitting defeat and turning back for the house.

“What a cluster,” she shook her head as she approached Derek who stood silently on the front step, thoughts buzzing around his brain, none of them good.

Cora’s Toyota Camry—Attitude Black was the color as she was fond of reminding everyone—cruised into the driveway. The car was barely in park before Cora was tumbling out of the driver’s seat, Samsung Galaxy clutched in her hand. “Where’s Stiles? He’s got to see this.”

Laura cleared her throat. “Um, you just missed him.”

Cora’s face crumpled before she nodded. “Is he really upset? I mean of course he is. But I wanted to show him this, it’ll make him feel better.”

Derek cringed internally; did Cora know about what had just happened with Stiles walking in on his conversation with Laura? That didn’t make any sense. It had literally only been seconds since Stiles took off.

“What are you talking about? Why is Stiles upset?” Laura’s face was scrunched in concern. She had always been protective of the younger boy, ready to tear strips off of anyone who upset him. It was a far cry from how she mercilessly teased Derek and Cora but Stiles had had a hard life as Laura liked to point out, unlike the charmed life of the Hale siblings. Their father had made himself scarce after the divorce but the four of them—five when Stiles was with them—were a tight knit family with seemingly good luck.

“I wasn’t at Jumping Jacks but Kelly was and she said Kate lit into Stiles, pretty much humiliated him, and in retaliation the waitress—what’s her name with the beehive? —dumped a shake all over Kate. Kelly recorded it and it’s awesome. I figured that would make Stiles feel better.” Cora was playing with her phone and soon she was turning it toward Derek and Laura. “Watch.”

Derek actually felt bad for his ex. The video showed Betty walking up behind Kate and, without warning, she dumped a pale colored shake over her head, bits of soggy popcorn sticking to her face, hair and chest as she whirled around, horrified. “Poor Kate.”

Cora rounded on Derek. “Poor Kate? Poor Kate, my ass. Do you want to know what that bitch said to Stiles? Kelly said she called him a giraffe, made fun of his moles, told him we just felt sorry for him and that’s the only reason we let him hang around us and then told him to take his mom’s shitty car and go home. That douche from Beacon Hills that hates Stiles was there and he was just eating it up with a spoon. Bastard.”

Okay, not poor Kate. Kate was a bitch. Deep down Derek had known that but she was so pretty with a hot body and she’d been so into him. 

Poor Stiles. 

“What do I do? I mean I have to find Stiles, explain things to him.” Derek was back to pacing, his heartbeat racing, thumping loudly in his ears. Is this what a panic attack was like? It was shitty. Derek felt like crap. If this was how Stiles felt most of the time he had to say it sucked. No wonder Laura was so protective of the kid.

“I think we just need to give Stiles some time to calm down. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

-0-

Stiles headed the Jeep toward Beacon Hills. The panic attack that had threatened earlier hadn’t materialized and his tears had dried up. Now he just wanted to get somewhere safe where he could hunker down and lick his wounds.

It was just as well that his dad was away at the law enforcement convention and Scott was visiting his father’s family. Stiles wouldn’t have to keep up any pretenses. He could just concentrate on holding himself together.

Stiles hadn’t wanted to believe that Derek had broken his trust with that blond bitch but she’d known too much about him. Things only a Hale could’ve told her.

The Hales. Stiles thought he was done being surprised by life and he’d believed the Hales had been his friends. No, more than friends. Family.

Not anymore. He was done trusting people. From now on he’d look after himself. He knew his mom wouldn’t approve but right now he was pissed at her for leaving him when he was so young. Yeah, he knew it wasn’t her fault but still, she’d left him in the care of his dad who was too busy taking care of the county to pay Stiles much attention. He knew his dad loved him, he just didn’t think his dad liked him very much.

When Stiles’s phone started ringing, he roughly turned it off, and threw it onto the passenger seat. There was no one he wanted to talk with right now. 

The two-hour drive was completed in silence and he heaved a sigh as he pulled into the driveway, resting his head on the steering wheel while he gathered himself to go into the house. The walk up the steps was draining and Stiles couldn’t help but remember how excited he’d been when he’d left the house earlier in the week, bouncing down the stairs, duffel bag and pillow clutched in his hand. Ready for a fun-filled visit with the Hales. He snorted.

Stiles really wanted to stretch on his bed but the climb up the stairs was daunting. Oh, and his pillow wasn’t up there; he’d left it behind in his scramble to get away. His laptop and his Adderall were also MIA. Oh well. 

Dropping on to the couch, Stiles tipped his head back and closed his eyes. He’d just concentrate on breathing in and out for a while and forget about everything else.

Stiles startled awake when there was a sharp rap of knuckles on the door. He was groggy and flailed around, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Stiles, it’s Melissa McCall. I’m going to let myself in now.” 

Digging the heels of his palms against his eyes, Stiles struggled with the out of control pulse pounding in his ears.

“Hey kiddo, what’re you doing sitting in the dark?” Mrs. McCall flicked on the hallway light and made her way into the living room.

“I, um, must’ve fallen asleep. Sorry.” Stiles didn’t know why he was sorry, exactly. Scott’s mom was the one who had startled him out of a deep sleep but Stiles supposed it was just one big, blanket sorry.

“What’s going on? Laura called your dad and he asked me to check on you. He’s really worried.” She was giving him the ‘mom’ look. Concern was evident in the crease between her eyebrows but she also wasn’t going to take any shit from him. She was dressed in scrubs and probably coming off of a long shift and the last thing she wanted was to deal with his issues. Stiles knew exactly how she felt; he didn’t want to deal with his issues either.

Stiles shrugged. “I just didn’t feel good, wanted to be home.”

“Did something happen?”

There it was—the big question he couldn’t really deal with now. Maybe never.

“Nah, just feel like I’m coming down with something and wanted to be home.”

“Did you have something to eat?”

“Um, some toast this morning.”

“That’s it? Let me see if you’re running a temperature.” Reached out the back of her hand pressed it to his forehead. For some reason the maternal gesture made his eyes flood with moisture.

“You are warm. I think you’d better come home with me. Do you need anything?”

Stiles couldn’t think of anything he needed. Just some sleep. “No, I’m okay.”

Scott’s mom had him on his feet, wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and ushered him out of the house. The motion sensor light came on and Stiles knew the moment Mrs. McCall saw the message on the hood of his car; her feet missed a step but she quickly recovered, shaking her head, herding him into her car.

He settled back into the seat and concentrated on breathing in and out again. It was all he could handle at the moment.

-0-

Derek was perched on the edge of the couch, Laura next to him, copying his body language. Cora had gone to bed around 11 p.m. but Laura had elected to stay up and face the wrath of their mother with him.

The door shut with finality, the deadbolts engaged with sharp clicks, and then their mom was striding into the living room. “What the hell happened here this afternoon? I received a very concerned call from the sheriff wondering what had happened to his son while he was under our care.”

Laura opened her mouth to fill their mom in but Talia Hale wasn’t done yet, holding her hand up to shush any noise, rolling on with her quiet censure. “Unfortunately I didn’t know anything was amiss and had to hear from Stiles’s dad, who by the way is in Seattle, that Stiles had gone back home, was sick, and his Jeep had been vandalized.”

“Stiles is sick? What’s wrong with him?” Derek couldn’t hold his tongue any longer.

He suffered under his mother’s glare before she switched her attention to Laura, ignoring Derek’s question. “I asked you to keep an eye on Stiles since I couldn’t be here. Explain yourself.”

Laura audibly gulped, smoothing her hands down her thighs, trying to compose herself. “Apparently there was a bit of a scene at Jumping Jacks this afternoon and we think that’s where Stiles’s Jeep was spray-painted.”

“And where were you two?” Derek could see why his mom was an in-demand, successful lawyer; she commanded respect without exerting any effort. It certainly had Laura and him cowed.

“We were here. Talking.”

“So if you two were here, was Stiles with Cora?”

Derek saw Laura shake her head no, her lips pinched together.

“So Stiles took himself off to Jumping Jacks, caused a scene while the two of you sat here, having a little tête-à-tête. What exactly happened at this restaurant that led to the vandalism of Stiles’s Jeep? Why did Stiles run home instead of here?”

Derek hung his head. “It’s my fault.”

“Continue.”

“I’ve been dating someone and this someone found out about Stiles and for some reason decided to embarrass him.”

“Who have you been dating?”

“Kate Argent.”

“And how old is Kate Argent?”

“She’s 24.”

“So let me get this straight. A 24 year old woman is dating my 20 year old son and for some reason she decided to humiliate a 16 year old boy.”

Derek nodded his head dumbly. When it was put like that, it sounded very dodgy.

His mother sighed. “Derek, honey, if you were dating someone, why on earth did you lead Stiles on?”

Laura came to his rescue while he gaped at his mom. “That’s what we were talking about this afternoon—Derek broke up with Kate and was trying to figure out what to do about Stiles.”

“So after this little scene at the restaurant, Stiles decided he was better off at home? All alone?”

Derek’s armpits began to get damp. This was the worst cross-examination he’d ever undergone and it wasn’t over yet.

Laura smoothed the non-existent wrinkles out of her jeans again before answering. “We think Stiles misinterpreted something he heard while we were talking.”

Talia Hale pinched the bridge of her nose. “The only reason you two aren’t going to get a dressing down from me is because I know the both of you care for Stiles a great deal and aren’t malicious, mean spirited children. But make no mistake, you’ve both acted like children and I’m not at all happy with what’s been going on around here. Here’s what is going to happen; you will take Stiles his bag, and his pillow, and go apologize to him.”

Derek jumped to his feet. Finally! He’d been trying to go after Stiles since the teen had left but Laura kept talking him out of it.

“Not now, Derek, it’s after midnight and I think the last thing Melissa McCall would appreciate is you showing up at her house at 2 a.m. You will go in the morning.”

Laura reached out and gripped Derek’s forearm. “I’ll go with you.”

“No, this is my fault. I’d like to go alone. See if I can explain things to Stiles. Maybe get him to forgive me.”

His mother shook her head. “Good luck with that one. I’m pretty sure we are personae non gratae with both Stilinskis. And don’t think we’re done with subject of dating older women without telling me.”

Derek hugged his mother before trudging upstairs. He wanted to pack up Stiles’s stuff and he’d better try to get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

-0-

“Stiles, honey, wake up. We need to go.”

Stiles bolted upright in Scott’s bed, his heart tripping painfully, bile working its way up his throat. “Go where? What’s wrong?”

“It’s your dad. There’s been an accident.”

The rest of her words were lost to the loud buzzing filling his ears.

-0-

It was 10 a.m. on the dot when Derek parked in front of the McCall’s house. The Jeep wasn’t there, which was an ominous sign, but there was a nondescript sedan sitting in the driveway.

Derek left Stiles’s stuff in the Camaro. First he wanted to talk to the younger boy. Apologize profusely. Beg his forgiveness. 

Pressing the doorbell, Derek stepped back when the front door was whipped open by Scott’s mom. “Oh, Derek, I’m sure you’re here for Stiles. I’m afraid this isn’t a good time.”

“Is Stiles okay? My mom said he was sick.”

“Stiles is…not doing well. His dad was in a car accident last night and it’s very serious. I was just heading back to the hospital to check on them.”

Derek couldn’t believe the news. The sheriff was indestructible. At least that’s how Derek had always viewed him. He knew Stiles was always worried about his dad getting hurt on his job. His friend must be devastated.

“Do you think it would be okay if I came to the hospital? I’ve got Stiles’s pillow.”

Mrs. McCall gave Derek a strained smile. “Yeah, I think Stiles would like that.”

Derek followed Mrs. McCall to Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital even though he’d been there one memorable time before when Stiles’s had fallen while skateboarding and he’d suffered a concussion. Derek would never forget how withdrawn and quiet Stiles had been, how un-Stiles like. 

Mrs. McCall waited for him by the entrance and hustled him over to the bank of elevators. “The sheriff is in the ICU. Only family members are allowed in the room but you can wait for Stiles in the lounge on that floor. He’s not allowed to be in there all of the time so when they kick him out, he’ll go to the lounge.”

Derek sat in what passed for a comfortable chair in the lounge. At least the vinyl-covered furniture scattered around the room was an upgrade over the plastic chairs in the ER.

Mrs. McCall was speaking quietly as she approached the lounge but Derek didn’t hear Stiles. When Stiles appeared in the doorway, guided by Mrs. McCall who had an arm placed protectively around Stiles’s shoulders, Derek jumped to his feet.

“Stiles?” Derek whispered as he approached his shell-shocked friend. He gathered the shorter boy into his arms and pulled him against his chest, nuzzling his cheek against the soft brown hair. 

Stiles stood passively in his arms, neither leaning into or away from the contact.

Mrs. McCall was speaking but Derek didn’t hear what she said; his full attention was focused on Stiles. She walked out of the lounge, leaving them alone.

“Oh, Stiles, I’m so sorry,” Derek whispered into the boy’s hair. “About everything.”

“It’s my fault he’s hurt.”

The tone was emotionless and Derek leaned back, gently grasping Stiles’s chin and tipping it up so he could see into his eyes. Unfocused brown eyes that disappeared behind a long sweep of eyelashes every time the boy slowly blinked which was often.

“Come on, let’s sit down.” Derek ended up dragging Stiles the few steps to the vinyl couch when he refused to move. He sat as close to the boy as he could without pulling him into his lap although he had an arm curled around Stiles’s shoulders and was hunched protectively over him.

“It’s all my fault,” Stiles repeated in the softest voice Derek had ever heard him use. “He was rushing home because I’m such a loser.”

“Stiles, come on, it wasn’t your fault. If it was anyone’s fault, it’s mine. I was telling Laura how I was attracted to you and was trying to figure out what to do about it.”

Stiles’s lip quivered as he glanced at Derek but he wouldn’t maintain eye contact. “But you said you hated me. It was awful.”

Stiles tried pulling away from Derek’s side but Derek held on tight. “I was just letting off steam. You know I don’t cope well with emotions. I didn’t mean it. I like you, Stiles, I more than like you and it scares me.”

Derek palmed Stiles’s cheek and guided it up, needing to see his expressive face; it didn’t disappoint. Moisture shimmered in the corners of Stiles’s eyes before a tentative smile started to curve generous lips. Before the dimples could make an appearance, Stiles’s countenance turned stormy and he pushed into Derek’s chest, palms flattened before fisting.

“You’re such an asshole. An asshole that made me leave and he was coming home and he’s…” Stiles drew a stuttering gulp of air, “Derek, he’s not going to make it. They won’t tell me anything but I know it’s bad. He was so mad at me and disappointed and how am I supposed to make it right if he never wakes up?”

Stiles’s face was flushed and his chest was heaving. Derek wanted to make it better, fix things, but he didn’t know what to do. Other than take whatever Stiles dished out. 

Pulling back his fist, Stiles let a punch fly, slugging Derek in his biceps. It was every bit as painful as any punch Laura had ever doled out. ““Why did you do that to me?” Stiles slugged Derek in his other biceps with his other fist and it hurt just as bad. “You made me feel worthless.” Stiles alternated, connecting with first one side and then other. “You made me feel ugly. You said you hated me. It’s all your fault I left and he was on that highway, coming home to check on me.”

The magnitude of what had happened to the sheriff, and to Stiles, was sinking in for Derek. This wasn’t about getting Stiles to forgive him, or dating him, or something that had seemed so important on his way up here. Stiles was crushed. Overwhelmed. He thought his dad was going to die and he’d be left all alone. Unloved. 

Stiles’s lacked the space and coordination and Derek was damned lucky otherwise he would’ve been bruised up, maybe even gotten a black eye or a split lip. Derek let Stiles keep on hitting him though, the younger boy trading punch after punch. Hoping the physical release would get the hurt out, keep it from bottling up.

When Stiles was noticeably breathless, his punches lacking any strength, Derek carefully gathered him close. “I’m so sorry, Stiles. Please, don’t push me away.”

Stiles allowed the contact, his weight shifting heavily into Derek’s side. Moisture dampened the side of Derek’s neck; it was the only sign he had that Stiles was crying as the boy was completely silent.

Derek squeezed his eyes shut tightly, letting his own tears leak down his face unchecked. He hauled Stiles even closer, rubbing his back. He wanted to take away his pain, make things right, but he was only human and something told him there would be no magic fix. No easy button. 

Listening to the muted voices and footsteps in the hallway, Derek thought about how he’d felt before Stiles arrived for his visit a week ago. How he’d thought himself a mature adult with an exciting life but really it had been boring. Colorless. He’d had a Stiles-shaped hole in his life and he hadn’t even realized it. He was such an idiot.

His former hubris was tearing not only his life apart, but also the young man curled into his side. The tempest he’d created was spinning out of control. 

Leaning his chin on the top of Stiles’s soft hair, he could only hold on for dear life and hope things quieted down for the Stilinskis. His happiness—no his future—was riding on the outcome here.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> If the ending feels a little, um, abrupt it's because there was supposed to be a companion piece to this story in which Stiles became an orphan. I just couldn’t make myself do it so instead to complete a bingo square I created a rec list featuring orphans in Teen Wolf fics here...http://heatherofnight.livejournal.com/26954.html


End file.
